Folding convertible bench and picnic table



u 6, 1951 P. M. SEYMOUR 2,558,465

FOLDING CONVERTIBLE BENCH AND PICNIC TABLE Filed March 22, 1948 Paul M. Seymour INVENTOR.

Patented June 26, 1951 FOLDING CONVERTIBLE BENCH AND PICNIC TABLE Paul M. Seymour, ClintohQMass, assignor of fifty per cent to George J. Seymour, Clinton, Mass.

Application March 22, 1948, Serial No. 16,248

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a folding convertible bench and picnic table, and has for its primary object to provide a comfortable seat which may be easily and quickly converted into a picnic table, or folded into a compact unit for transportation and storage.

Another object is to provide rigidity in the structure of the device and to maintain the table top in proper position with relation to the bench seats and to prevent it from tilting when in use.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features two spaced pairs of legs pivoted together at their upper ends to swing in,

vertical arcs about a common horizontal axis, a pair of cleats pivotally and slidably mounted in overlapping relation adjacent each pair of legs to swing in vertical arcs about the common hori zontal axis, back rest and table top sections hired to the cleats for movement therewith on opposite sides of the horizontal axis and seat members is one end of a flexible member which, in its preferred form, comprises a link chain. The opposite end of each flexible member is detachably coupled, as at 22, to the opposite leg I4 of its respective pair of legs II] or I2 in order to prevent the legs from spreading when the device is used as a bench.

Pivotally coupled to each leg I4 intermediate its ends is a cleat 24, and fixed to the cleats 24 on opposite sides of the tie bar I6 are planks 26 which form the seats of the device. Each cleat 24 is provided adjacent its end remote from the end which is pivoted to its respective leg I4 with a notch 28 which opens downwardly through the pivoted to the legs on opposite sides of the horizontal axis.

Other features include means detachably connected to the table top sections when they are in table top forming position to hold the table top against tilting about the horizontal axis, and

braces pivoted to the legs and detachably coupled to the seat members to hold the seat members extended when the device is in its open position. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding constantially folded position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved convertible bench and picnic table comprises two pairs I0 and I2 of legs I4 which are pivoted together at their upper ends to swing about a common horizontally disposed supporting member or pivot and tie bar I6, the axis of which lies substantially horizontal. Tie bars I8 extend between the pairs of legs I0 and I2 in parallel relation with the tie bar It to form a pair of frames which swing in vertical arcs about the common horizontal axis of the tie bar I6. Fixed to one leg I4 of each pair of legs I0 and I2 at opposite ends of the frame previously mentioned bottom edge of the cleat, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 3. A brace 30 is positioned adjacent each leg I4, and each brace is provided with an L-shaped slot 32 for the reception of the tie bar I8 on its respective side of the tie bar I6. The ends of the cleats :24 remote from the legs I4 on opposite sides of the tie bar I5 are coupled by longitudinally extending tie bars 34 which, as illustrated in Figure 3, are received in the notches 28 to support the seats in proper relation to the legs 24, it being understood that when the device is in use as a bench, the tie bars I8 are received in one leg of the L- shaped slot 32, and when the device is in use as a table, the tie bars I8 are received in the opposite legs of the slots 32. In this way, the difference in the angle between the legs I4 of opposite pairs II] and I2 thereof is compensated for, as will be readily understood upon a comparison of Figures 2 and 3.

The back rest and table top sections designated generally 36 each comprise pairs of cleats 38 and 40 arranged respectively, adjacent pairs I0 and I2 of legs I4. The cleats 38 are arranged in overlapping relation and each is provided adjacent one end with an elongated longitudinal slot 42 in which the tie bar I6 is received. As shown, the cleats 38 are arranged to swing in arcs on opposite sides of the tie bar I6, and the cleats 40, like the cleats 38, are equipped with elongated longitudinal slots 44 for the reception of the tie bar I6, and like the cleats 38, swing in vertical arcs on opposite sides of the tie bar I6. Fixed to the cleats 38 and 40 on one side of the tie bar I6 are planks 46 which form a back rest and table top section on one side of the device while similar planks 48 are fixed to the cleats 38 and 40 on the opposite side of the device to form a back rest I s Figure 1 with the cleats 38 and 4t lying alongside of the legs I4 so that the planks 46 and 48 will bear on the legs. In this position, the flexible members 2!] are coupled across the legs [4 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and the braces 36 adjusted so that the seats formed by the planks 26 lie substantially horizontal. When the device is to be employed as a table, the legs [4 are spread apart as illustrated in Figure 3, and the seat members are adjusted as shown therein so as to lie substantially horizontal. 48 are elevated into a substantially horizontal position by swinging them in vertical arcs about the tie bar It, and upon advancing the horizontally disposed back rest: and table top. sec.- tions toward the shaft I6, it will be obvious that the cleats 38 and 40 will be advanced into over! lapping relation by the movement thereof along a substantially horizontal plane so that the cleats on opposite sides of the tie bar [6 will underlie the opposite table top sections to form a substantially rigid table top. The end of each flexible member 2E1 is then coupled to cleats 38 and All at opposite ends of the device, it being understood that these flexible members are arranged on opposite sides of the tie bar l6 so that when coupled to the cleats, tilting of the table top thus formed about the axis of the tie bar l6 will be avoided. For the purpose of transportation and storage, the parts may be folded, as illustrated in Figure 4, with the seat members lying adjacent the outer edges of the planks l4, and the braces 39 lying parallel with the legs. In this manner, the device may be folded into a compact bundle which will occupy but a minimum amount of space.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and-arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

\ Having described the invention, what is claimed as. new is:

1. A' folding convertible bench and picnic table comprising an elongated supporting member, two spaced pairs of legs pivoted together at their upper ends on the supporting member to swing in vertical arcs about the common horizontal axis provided by said member, a pair of cleats pivotally and slidably mounted in overlapping relationon the member adjacent each pair of legs to swing in vertical arcs about the member, said cleats being slidable transversely on the member for movement relative to each other, back rest and table top sections fixed to the cleats for movement therewith on opposite sides of the member, the cleats on each table top section underlying the opposite table top section, a seat member pivoted intermediate the ends of the legs on opposite sides of the supporting member, a brace 'pivotally and slidably mounted on each leg on each side of the common axis and detachably coupled to the 'seat member on its respective side of the supporting member, and means extending between the legs at each end of the device and the table top sections adjacent the remote edges thereof to hold the sections in horizontal position.

2. A folding convertible bench and picnic table comprising an elongated supporting rod, two spaced pairs of legs pivoted together at their upper ends on the rod to swing in vertical arcs about the rod, a pair of cleats pivotally and slidably mounted in overlapping relation on the rod The planks 46 and 4 adjacent each pair of legs to swing in vertical arcs about the rod, said cleats being slidable transversely on the rod for movement relative to each other, back rest and table top sections fixed to the cleats for movement therewith on opposite sides of the rod, the cleats on each table top section underlying the opposite table top section, and seat members pivoted to the legs on opposite sides of the rod, locking means for said seat members, a pair of members having one pair of ends thereof fixed to legs, means to detachably couple the opposite ends of the flexible members tothe table top sections on opposite sides of the rod whereby the sections will be held in horizontal position and against tilting about the rod, when in a raised table position, and means to detachably couple each flexible member to the opposite leg of a pair of legs when the device is used as a bench to prevent the legs from swinging about the common axis.

A folding convertible bench and picnic. table comprising an elongated. supporting member, two

spaced pairs of legs, pivoted together at their upper ends on the member to swing in vertical arcs about the common horizontal axis provided by the member, a pair of cleats pivotally and slidably mounted at one end on the member in overlapping relation adjacent. each pair of less to swing in horizontal arcs about, the member, said cleats sliding transversely on the member relative to. each other, back rest and table top sections fixed to the unattached ends. of the cleats for movement therewith on opposite sides of the member, means holding the table top sections horizontal, the cleats on each table top section underlying the opposite table top section, seat sections pivoted to the l s on opposite sides of the member and means for holding the seatsections in raised positions.

- 4;. A convertible bench and table comprising an elongated supporting member, two spaced pairs of legs pivoted together at their upper ends on the member to swing in vertical arcs about the common horizontal axis provided by the member, means for limiting the outward movement of the legs of each pair, a pair of cleats slidably mount! ed at one end on the member transversely thereof, said cleats being disposed in overlapping relation adjacent each pair of legs and adapted to. swing vertically about the member and to slide transversely thereon relative toeach other, back and table top sections fixed to the cleats for movement therewith, the cleats on each table top section underlying the opposite table top section,

means holding the table top sections horizontal,

seat sections pivoted to the legs on opposite sides of the member, brace means carried by said seat section, said brace means being lockingly engageable'with the legs.

5. A convertible bench and table comprising an elongated supporting member, two spaced pairs of legs pivoted at their upper ends on the mem' ber o sw n in r ical rcs abo e co m horizontal axis provided by the member, a pair o cleats sl d y disposed on th m mber adjacent each pair oi legs, said cleats being disposed n overlapp n r ati n and adap d o sw ng vertically about the member and to slide transverse lythereon re a e o ea the ck nd tab e top sectionsfixed to the cleats for movement therewith, the cleats of each table top section underlying the opposite table top section, elonated flexi le m nts on e h ide o he b e and-conne te to and be w en sa d l at a d adjacent po ions oi sa d leg o. hold th sections in horizontal position, seat sections pivoted to the legs on opposite sides of the members, brace bars pivotally connected at their upper ends to the seat sections and having slots formed adjacent their lower ends, lugs extending from the 5 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Greenstreet Feb. 17, 1931 Gay Sept. 30, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 23, 1931 

